Corals from Rußbach and Gosau (Coniacian-Santonian; Austria). English abridged version.

CPress Verlag Dresden
ISBN 978-3-931689-16-2

Approximately 150 pages and 120 figures.
272 x 192mm, PDF
To be published in summer 2019.

The corals of the so-called "Gosaukreide" form the most species-rich and best-preserved Mesozoic corals at all. For almost 200 years the coral fauna has been investigated, 330 species are reported, several comprehensive monographs were published. Why another treatise about this coral fauna? On the one hand, former works are obsolete, difficult to read, or simply insufficiently illustrated. On the other hand, there exist no work that may assist in naming the corals. The present compilation concentrates available data and want to help in the taxonomic classification of the fossil corals.
In order to register the coral fauna as complete as possible, extensive re-collection of material was carried out. During 40 field campaigns approximately three thousand specimens were collected. In addition, several thousand specimens in collections were examined. Approximately 800 thin sections were prepared only for this compilation.
We had to concentrate in a lithostratigraphic level and a certain area: the Streiteck, Grabenbach and Hochmoss formations in the valleys of Gosau and Rußbach. These areas deliver – compared to stratigraphically older (e.g. Turonian of St. Gilgen) or younger (e.g. the Campanian of the Neue Welt area in Niederösterreich) – more and much better preserved material.
The book is more an inventory than a revision, even if numerous collection were visited and type material included. As a totel, 350 species (in 86 genera) are described and illustrated, mainly with thin sections, but also surfaces of complete specimens. Morphometric data are provided. The compilation may assist collectors as well as professional palaeontologists to put a name on corals from the Gosau area.

Content

Preface and Introduction

Geology and stratigraphy

Coral morphology

Methods

Taxonomy

Discussion

Appendices

Example taxonomy as PDF (1.5MB).
English abridged version (taxonomy) as PDF (10KB).